Cup final:

Heaven and hell at Lake Wörthersee

Sturm lifted the ÖFB Cup in Klagenfurt three times.(Bild: Sepp Pail)

The "28 Black Arena", as the Wörthersee Stadium is also known, has hosted the ÖFB Cup final since 2010 - and the 30,000-seater European Championship arena, where Sturm will once again face Rapid on Wednesday (5pm), is both heaven and hell: heaven for the team from Graz, who have won the trophy there three times (2010, 2018, 2023), hell for the Viennese, who have left three finals (2017, 2019, 20323) in tears.

Lake Wörthersee, where Sturm's Champions League matches would also have to take place in the autumn if they were champions, is the secret place of longing for Sturm fans: Austria Klagenfurt have been defeated there six times in the league and once in the Cup. There were four wins against Austria Kärnten, plus one draw and one defeat (2:4 on 18.3. 2009). In the Cup, there were three wins in the final, plus a defeat against Salzburg (0:4 in the pandemic on 3.3.21), plus a 2:0 against Videoton in the Champions League qualifiers. Overall record: 15 wins, one draw, two defeats.

The Wörthersee Stadium is a place of longing for Sturm fans.(Bild: Sepp Pail)

The highlights were undoubtedly the three cup victories:

On May 16, 2010, Klemen Lavric was the big hero in Franco Foda's 1:0 final victory over Wr. Neustadt, scoring the golden goal in the 81st minute. 25,000 Graz fans bathed the arena in black and white.

On 9. 5. 2018, Stefan Hierländer was the big hero when he turned Salzburg's heads with his golden goal in the 112th minute, leaving Heiko Vogel to cheer.

On April 30, 2023, the hearts of the Blackies belonged to Manprit Sarkaria. With a brace (66th, 85th), he secured a 2-0 win over Rapid in the most atmospheric final in ÖFB history. It was Christian Ilzer's first title.

Patrick Greil lost the last Cup final with Rapid at the Wörthersee Stadion, with the Viennese losing three times in the final.(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Klagenfurt has been a "nightmare" for Rapid, who have lost four finals since their last Cup victory in 1995:

On April 1, 2017, Goran Djuricin's side lost 2-1 to Salzburg, with Graz's Valentino Lazaro (85th) delivering the killer blow.

On May 1, 2019, Didi Kühbauer was knocked out 2:0 against Marco Rose's Salzburg. Farkas and Dabbur scored before the break.

On April 30, 2023, Zoki Barisic's team lost to Sturm 0:2.

Rapid are still waiting for their first highlight at Wörthersee!